1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to door assemblies and in particular to means for sealing French type door assemblies for refrigerators, wherein first and second pivotally mounted doors are arranged to define juxtaposed edge portions in a closed arrangement thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A number of magnetic seals have been developed for use in sealing French door refrigerators. One example of such a seal is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,248,159 of Charles E. Hall. As shown therein, magnetized seal elements are brought into juxtaposition when the doors are closed so as to provide a seal between the slightly spaced door edges.
Alan J. Koch et al in U.S. Pat. No. 3,264,048, which patent is owned by the assignee hereof, shows a magnetic gasket for use in sealing the door of a refrigerated apparatus wherein overlapping magnetic seals are provided on the juxtaposed ends of a pair of gaskets.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,382,618, Russell S. Townsend shows a closure seal for a refrigerator cabinet having French style, side-by-side doors. The seal includes a pair of flexible gaskets, each of which is U-shaped in cross sections and having its legs extending toward the legs of the other gasket. One pair of the legs overlaps in sealing relation with the other pair of legs so as to define a partial dead air space in the refrigerated space between the doors. The outermost legs do not overlap and are spaced from each other to define an air insulating cavity in the nature of a partial dead air cell when the doors are closed.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,408,772 of Walter C. Frehse, a gasket for a multiple door cabinet is shown which utilizes magnetized seal portions in sealing oppositely swinging doors. The embodiment shown in FIGS. 8-11 includes a single set of overlapping magnetic gasket portions.
Bernard J. Grimm et al discloses in U.S. Pat. No. 3,942,853 a gasket assembly for a household refrigerator wherein side-by-side doors are sealed by magnetic sealing means. A pair of elongated flanges is connected to the insulating member defined by the gasket element so as to contact one another inwardly of the magnetic seals. The seals are secured to the rear surface of the door but do not contact a rearwardly projecting door dike, and each of the seals is defined by non-overlapping elements relying solely on the spaced portions thereof being brought into confronting abutment.